Make Your Knits Last a Lifetime
You’ve spent hours choosing the pattern.
Then the yarn and colour.
Then the needles.
Then working out the measurements.
After all that planning comes the best part: knitting a garment that slowly grows, stitch by stitch, in your hands.
Your jumper becomes more than clothing. It carries memories.
You remember where you were when you knit the sleeves.
The show you were watching when you finished the collar.
The conversations you had while sewing in the ends.
Years later you are still wearing it — and still proud of it.
Handmade garments deserve thoughtful care so they can last for many seasons of wearing and remembering.
Here are a few simple ways to care for your woollens so they stay beautiful for years to come.
How Often Should You Wash Wool Sweaters?
One of the great joys of wool is that it doesn’t need frequent washing.
High-quality fibres like merino are naturally antimicrobial, which means most handknits simply need a good airing once in a while.
If your garment isn’t visibly dirty, hang it outside or near an open window and let fresh air do the work.
Why Wool Garments Need Special Care
When it is time to wash your knitwear, always check the skein label first.
Machine-wash yarns can usually be washed on a cool, gentle or wool cycle, but hand washing will maintain the beauty of your Prosper Yarn projects for much longer.
Untreated yarns should always be hand washed and dried flat.
A small splash of lemon juice in the wash water can help maintain the dye bond in hand-dyed yarns.
A few drops of mild dishwashing liquid will do the job, but many knitters (ourselves included) prefer to use a dedicated wool wash.
One of the most popular options is Eucalan, a natural, biodegradable wool wash designed specifically for delicate fibres.
How to Wash Hand Knit Garments
- Fill a sink with lukewarm water.
- Add a full teaspoon (6ml) of Eucalan per litre of water.
- Submerge the garment in water
- Gently squish the garment to allow water to move through the fibres. Avoid vigorous washing or rinsing as agitation can damage your knits.
- Soak for about 15 minutes.
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Drain the sink and press out excess water from your garment. Do not wring.
- Support the garment from underneath when lifting it out of water.
Best Wool Wash for Delicate Fibres
We love Eucalan because its no-rinse formula that releases dirt from fibres and conditions them with lanolin. And no rinsing means garments experience far less agitation and wear.
Benefits of include:
- gentle cleaning and conditioning
- preservation of the wool's natural oils
- reduced static
- less stress on fibres
- reduced water usage
- environmentally friendly ingredients
Eucalan comes in a variety of sizes and scents. It’s ideal for hand washing or gentle machine cycles and works beautifully on wool, alpaca, silk and other delicate fibres.
How to Dry Hand Knit Garments
- Lay the damp garment flat on a clean towel in its natural shape.
- Roll the towel and garment up like a sausage roll.
- Press down on the roll to squish even more water out, use your knees for added pressure.
- Unroll and place the garment flat on a blocking mat.
- Shape the garment to the pattern measurements. You can use pins and wires to help.
- Allow it to dry completely, away from direct sunlight and heat.
Blocking is the secret to beautiful knitwear. It allows the yarn to relax into its final shape and gives your finished piece a professional finish. Here is a great great how-to video:
How to Remove Pilling from Wool Sweaters
Even the best yarns may pill over time.
Pilling happens when fibres rub against each other during wear, often under the arms or along the shoulders. The easiest way to take care of pilling and refresh a garment is with a comb.
The Gleener sweater comb is one of our favourite tools for removing pills. It comes with three interchangeable edges designed for different fabrics. Its compact enough to keep in your knitting bag and keeps your garments looking fresh.
https://prosperyarn.com/collections/haberdashery/products/gleener-sweater-comb
How to Store Wool Garments and Prevent Moths
At the end of sweater season, it’s important to store your garments properly.
Always store wool clean. Moths are attracted to body oils and food particles and they and will quickly eat a hole in your treasured garments.
We recommend washing garments before storing them, ideally using Eucalyptus or Lavender Eucalan, which help deter pests.
Once clean:
- allow garments to dry completely
- wrap them in tissue paper
- store them in a sealed container
For extra protection, add cedar balls.
Cedar naturally repels moths while absorbing moisture and odours. Over time the cedar scent fades. Lightly sanding the balls will bring back the scent.
If moths do appear, place the garment in a plastic bag and pop it in the freezer for 48 hours to kill moths and larvae.
How to Mend Knitwear
Even the most loved garments can develop worn spots or snag on jewellry.
Luckily, repairing knitwear is easier than you think.
A set of tapestry needles is perfect for weaving in ends, duplicate stitch repairs, and darning.
https://prosperyarn.com/collections/haberdashery/products/tapestry-needles
Purl Soho have a great basic mending tutorial
Visible mending is also a beautiful way to extend the life of a garment. Keeping a small yarn stash for repairs is always useful for colourwork and visible mending.
Our Prosper Yarn 20g mini skeins are available in Beaut, Sweet As, Legend, Mint, Prosper DK and as Lucky Dip mini skein sets.
Handmade Garments Are Made to Last
Knitting takes time. Caring for your garments is part of that story.
With a little attention — gentle washing, thoughtful storage, and the occasional repair — your handknits can last for decades.
And every time you wear them, the memories come back.
